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May 26, 1931. F. D. CHAPMAN 1,806,609 CONTINUOUS cooKER Filed Dec. 13, `1.926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. B/fwr/ M,

May 26, 1931. F. D. CHAPMAN 1,805,609

CONTINUOUS cooKER V Filed Dec. '15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .INVENTOR A TTORNEYS.

`Patented Maly 26sj1931 FRANK'D. CHAPMAN, or BERLImwIsooNsIN, AssIeNoR To BERLIN CIIArMAN COM- PANY, OFBELRLIN, WISCONSIN; A. CORPORATION on WISCONSINY f j CONTINUOUS COOKER Application siga. neciriiie iai- 926; serial' No. 154,521. 4

rlhis invention relates to improvements in continuous cookers, more particularly adapt- Y ed for cooking food in cans, and also for load- Yio ing and unloading the'cansoffood tov `and wfijom the cooker.' n

4In continuous cookers or sterilizers for' cookingfood in eans,itis desirable to control C Yvide aeontin'uous cooker which is of simple A I construction, is` elioient `in operation and 4is `60 the temperatura'the agitation and the time period during the eooking process.

`It Vis vone of the 'objects of theinvention; to provide-a Continuous cooker having the above mentioned` desirable features .combined others ina very simplel manner. .Ca

A further objeotof the Cinventionis to provide a' continuous cooker.. in which.A the Vinner drum for moving theeans is closed circurnf ferentially and at both ends, thus'requiring va less amount of in degree ofy cooking` may loe-made Without variations in the` length of timethe Canned foodpassesthroughthe machine...v r

. 1 A fiirtherobjeet ofthe inventionis to pro.-

ivideb acontiniious Cool'eliin Which the, time [and lengthof travel of' the cannedlfoodV through tliemachine may-be variedwithoiit C varying thefspeed of rotation of the parts. i

. Av Vfurther object of thejinvention yis topro- -vide a continuousv cooler'ha'vingfa plurality o'colnpartments or 'heat zones iwhich'mayV be independentlymaintained at 'various temperfatures to perintcontrol ofthe-time period in `Which the temperature of the food contained in the cans `mayybe brought' up `tocookingrdedesired. i t AfurtherAobject-ofthe invention is-to provide acontinuous cooker havi-Iiga number ofy inlet openings anda means Which'inay be easily, adjustedfto. :Eeedcans to the Vtank through any of-said openings. i Y

A'iurtlierl object ofthe invention is to pro- 4vide 'a continuous cooker `having .a feeding means which. caribe actuated. from theJ drivgree and then cooledto the discharging degree With V g different. tem-A fon lineQ-Z of Fig. B;

tionof the Cam-moving drum; and' vide a continuous.eookerliaving means for C automatically disehargingcans frornthe end portion of the cooker in avery simple manner. `A Vfurther-object of the invention is to pro-A ,Well adapted for the purposeV described.

With the above'and otlierrobjeets in view,

.the invention consists of the improved oontinuous cooker and its parts and combinations f as set forth in`-the'claims,.and all equivalents thereof.

the same reference -charaetersindicate the saine partsin all of the views: i Y

the irst inletopening;` C C Eg. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken "fl5`ig.V 3 isalongitudinal sectional vieW thereof; Y i

. AFig. 4 is a detailview of the discharge endV of the tank; Y

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective Fig. 6 isa detail perspeotivevieyiT of a for- Ward end portion of the can movingdrum and f a portion of the fixed spirally trending guide.

View ofapor- Cf t i i615 i .In the accompanying drawings in which i Referringtofthe diawiiigs,`the numeral 8 indicates atank which extendsvhorizontally andis supported by legs 9i in any manner desired. The tank is' of somewhat rectangular form. in vcross section with the upper Wall 8 of Curved formation to accommodate a por- .f i90 Y tion of the spirallytrending canway or guide 10,fand` to provide a. `comparatively large space beneath the drum mounted in the .tank

`for;holdingcomparatively a large amount of hot Water to inoreeasily maintain the desired temperatures in the 'heat zones. lThe tank is closed atboth ends andis provided with a plurality oflangedjinlet openings l1 in Yits upper curved portion 8. Said inlet openings. extend `throughf the curved portionfof the tank along one side thereof and are equi'- as clearly shown inFig. 3.

distantly spaced apart and provided vwith sealing covers 12, any one of which may be removed when it is desired to feed cans through any of the openings. rllhe spirally trending guide 10 is formed of metal of T- shape in cross section, with the stem portion 13 thereof extending radially inwardly to form end guiding means for the cans. The other flange 14 of the guide extends spirally eircumferentially on both sides of the radial flange and forms the supporting means upon which the cans 15 roll. Portions of adjacent spiral flange in alinement with the charging openings 11 are cut away, as indicated by the numeral 16, to permit feeding the cans therebetween to the spiral guide 10. The head 17 at the rear or discharge endY of theV drum is formed with an inwardly eX- tending recess `18 of a diameter less than the diameter of the guideway 10 and concentric therewith, and the Vupper portion of said recess is provided with a discharge opening 19. A discharge spout 2O connected to the discharge opening 19 extends outwardly therefrom at an angle, so that the cans dropped `through the discharge opening 19 will be deflected outwardly fro-m the tank in the direction of rotation of the drum 21. The spiral guideway 10 is positioned in the upper portion of the tank and extends longitudinally7 thereof, so that comparatively a considerable space 22 is formed between the lower portion of the guideway and the bottom portion of the tank to contain a heating medium, as hot water or steam or both. The spiral is connected to the upper portion of the tank and is also supported upon longitudinally extending angle beams 23 connected to the tank. The drum 21 is closed at both ends and is mounted on a longitudinally extending sh aft 24 which projects through the tank at one end and is provided with a vent bore 24 from the interior of the drum to the outside atmosphere. rl`he inner end of the shaft is journaled in a bearing 25 connected to the inner side of tl e recessed end 18 Awhile the opposite end portion extends through and is journaled in a bearing 26 connected to the inner side'of the forward end 27 of the tank. The inner end 28 of the drum is recessed inwardly to permit the eXtendin-gportion 29 to extend around and overlap the recessed portion of the tank, Angle bars `30 are mounted longitudinally in'spacedrelation on the drum Vto form in connection with the drum a can reel which rolls the cans around the spiral gnidewav in advancing the cans from one end of the tank to the other. The bars 30 are spaced apart a distance to accommodate the diameter of the cans and just clear the inner edges of the stem portions 13 and form in conjunctionwith the convolutions of the spiral member, pockets 30 for holding the cans during their travel through the tank. The Vinner end portion or extension of the drum which overlaps the recessed portion of the tank is provided with a discharge opening 31 which extends entirely around the drum and is in register with the discharge opening of the recessedtank end, so that as the cans are moved into register therewith they will drop downwardly through the opening 19 and out of the tank.

The tank between the spirally trending` guideway and the inner opposite sides and lower portion of the tank is provided with transverse partions 32 which divide the tank into a number of compartments or heat zones 33 whereby the cans in passing therethrough may be subjected to varyingtemperatures as desired in processing different foods. The partions and the rear tank end are provided with manholes 32 closed bycovers 33 for cleaning purposes.

An endless belt can elevator and feeder 34 is adapted to be positioned alongside of the tank and extends upwardly to one of the inlet openings 11 of the tank, the cover 12 to said opening of course being removed to connect the upper end of the elevator to the inlet openings. The'lower end of the elevator may be secured to the floor by bolts 35.` i

The drum shaft 24 is rotated from` a belt wheel 36 and interposed gearing 37. The belt wheel 36 is fast on a longitudinally eX- tending shaft 38 which ispositioned above and is mounted on the tank 8. A pulley 39 slidably splined on the shaft 38 has a belted connection 40 with a pulley 41 mounted on the upper shaft4 42 ofthe endless belt feeder 34. As thus arranged, the pulley 39 may be -moved along the shaft 38 to transmit rotation to the feeder in feeding cans through any of the charging openings of the tank.

Steam and water may be supplied to the different compartments 33 of the tank by valved pipes 43 an'd'44 so that the temperatures of said compartments may be controlled and varied as desired, andfor convenience a thermometer 44 is provided for each compartment. Water is discharged from the compartments through the discharge pipes 45.

In use the tank is partly filled with hot water and steam is supplied to the tank to maintain the different temperatures in the different compartments as desired. The cans of food are fed into the tank through one of the openings by the endless conveyor and will drop by gravity on to the drum between the convolutions of the spiral and the longitudinally extending flanges of the closed drum. The drum in its rotation will carry the cans into and outrof the water in each compartment and during said movement the cams will be moved towards the` discharge end of the tank by the spiral convolutions. In their passage through the compartments, the cans will be subjected to more or less heat and agitation as they are moved through the different compartments or heat zones. If it is dei sirable ini canning a foodwhich requires-'a gradualincrease in the cooking'temperatures, theiirst compartmentmay be maintained at' a predetermined temperature, the second coinhave still y higher temperature orfa lower one :if it isdesired tocool thexcans somewhat before dischargingthecans fromr thec'o'oke'i.`

When the'cans reach the discharge opening of the drum` they Will'drop therethrough by "gravity and into the discharge spout which Will deiect themi outwardly. from. the end of the tank. `By .havinginjore; or: less vvater in the tank the degree of'cooking and agitation i may lbe controlledas the-1 higher the Water y level the greater the cooking period and the? amount of agitation as-the cans'vvill roll on the drum for alonger period ottime'.` i By Vshitting thecan feed to-a dierent'inletopen- Y ingthe length of the cooking-'period may also y becontrolled. x

- construction and is-Well,` adapted forthe'purpose described.` ,Y ,Y Y

the closed drum coacts -With the v 85` seenfthatthe continuouscookerfis of simple .Particular attention is directed to the. fact that the inner drum 21 is closed, so that Water or steam1 cannot entergthe space Within the drum, With the-result that ,it Willi take 'less heat to maintain the dierent heat vzones at the desired temperatures, 'and' furthermore y partitions 32 in maintaining said zonesof heat.y

What Iclaim as my invention is: Y

1. Acontinuous cooker,` comprising ahori- 1 `zontally extending tank having. inlet and out-y memberpextending thrcughsaidtankandthe i heat zones and aclfosed' dru'ni extending let openings-andlheat `zones ofvarojus degrees-ot temperature, aspirally `trending through the' `sp'irally trending ymember for preservingthe heat zones, andhaving means coacting :with the spirally trending member for moving cans througlithe heat zones.

2., A continuous cooker, comprising a horizontally extending tank having inlet and outletopenings and a plurality of compartments for-maintaining*various degrees of temperature in each compartment,and a carrier Within the ltank and extending through the `compartments' for moving cans from one portion gof'theptank tothe other, said carrier formed `in part-cfa closed drum forassisting in main- Y f taining predetermined degrees.- ifoifheat ,'-in

`eachA compartment;

` 3. A continuouscooker,comprising ahori-A zon-tally extending tankhjafvinginlet` and outlet openings and `zones of various 1degrees i of temperaturerfor cook-ing o'odjfin cans passed?` therethrough', a spirallytrending member extending through -saidi zones,

andaclosedfdrum Within thetank and extending, throughthe spirally trending memvarious degrees of temperature for 'cooking food. in canspassed therethrough,` means convberand having means coactingvvith thespiially trending member for moving cans'from u one portion of tlietankto theother, said drum ,coactiiig with the temperature zones in assisting to maintain thepredeterinined teinperatures in said zones. 1

' 4L. A continuous cooker, comprising a horizontallyextendingtank having inlet and outlet openings'. andpartitions to form Zones of trolling thev temperature of said zones, a spirally trending member extendingthrough,said

lzones,'and aarotaryclosed drum extending I A g letopenings and'areces'sedrearend provided From the foregoing description itvvill'be with a discharge opening, said tankjals having izonesof various 1 degrees of heat,-means for controllingthetemperatureo said zones,A

Ja 4spirally;trending member. extending through said' heat Zones andQsurroundingfthe recessed end of the tank, andxa closedldrum extending through-,the spirally trending S ymember and the hfeatzones and having adis-V nfrom the inlet opening through the Zones of 'varying temperaturesfandto the recessed end opening, said Vdrumfalso coacting with the tank heat zones inpreserving said heat'zones. 105

- 6. 'A continuous-cooker;,comprising ahorizontally extending tank having ranginlet Yopening adjacent one end portion y and" a A `roundedrecessed opposite end providedswith an 'outlet openingin its peripheral portion,` 1.10 .v

said tank Yalsoli'aving transversepartitions A for dividing thetank into compartmentz'ones 03E-various degrees of heat, meansfor'lcony trolling the? temperature `otsaid Zones, a

ispirally ltrending meinherlextending through said heat Zones-and surrounding the recessed` v end portion of the tank, fa closed v drunifextendin gltlircugh the spirally trending member and the heat ,ZonesV and: having discharge portions.` which extendaaround the recessed 120 endo-fy the tank,said drum coactingwith the spirally trending member in `iifi'oving Vcans from the inlet opening through the AheatV zones and to the-recessedV end' outletopening,

said-drum also coactingwith thepartitions v in preservingthe heat zones,means for feed- Aingcams to the-inlet openingfandgineans'for i removing cans` from the outlet opening-.1L V y 7. A continuous cooker, comprising-a hori zontally .extending tank haringen .,iinletlY opening and a rounded'recessed discharge end provided with an outlet opening in its upper peripheral portion, said tank also having transverse partitions dividing the tank into water compartment Zones of various degrees of heat, means for controlling the temperature of the water in said zone compartments, a flanged spirally, trending member extending through said heat zones and surrounding the recessed end portion of the tank, a rotary closed drum extending longitudinally through the spirally trending member and the heat zones and provided with parallel longitudinally extending bars between which the cans are maintained and slide in moving through the heat zones, end portions of said bars extending closely around the recessed portion of the discharge end of the tank and beingformed to permit the cans to pass therebetween when in register with the peripheral discharge opening, said rotary drum coacting with the transverse partitions of the tank for preserving the heat zones, means for feeding cans to the inlet opening, and means for removing cans from the discharge opening.

8. -A continuous cooker, comprising a horizontally extending tank having an inlet opening and a rounded recessed end portion at the discharge end of the tank provided with an outlet opening yin its inner upper peripheral portion, said tank also having transverse partitions for dividing the tank into water compartment Zones of various degrees of heat, water supply and discharge pipes connected to the different zone compartments, steam inlet pipe means for controlling the temperature of the vvater in said zone compartments, a flanged spirally trending 'member extending through said zones and surroundingthe recessed end portion of the tank, a rotary closed drum extending longitudinally through the spirally trending member and the heat zones and provided With parallel longitudinally extending bars of angular form in cross section and between which the cans are maintained and'slide in moving through the heat Zones, end portions of said bars extending closely around the recessed portions of the discharge end of the tank andA formed to permit the cans to pass therebetween when in register with the peripheral dischargeA opening, said rotary closed drum coacting with the tank partitions for preserving the heat zones, means for feeding cans to the inlet opening, and means for removing cans from the discharge openings. Y

9. A continuous cooker, comprising a horizontally extending tank having inlet and outlet openings and also having Zones of di'iferent Vdegrees of heat, a spirally trending member extending through said heat zones, and a rotary closed drum extending through the spirally trending member and coacting therewith in moving cans from the inlet'to the outlet opening, said drum having an extension provided with an opening at its discharge end to permit cans to drop therethrough when in register with the discharge opening of the tank.

lO. A continuous cooker, comprising a horizontally extending tank having a plurality of water compartments of comparatively considerable depth for holding water at different temperatures, a spirally trending member mounted in the drum, a closed drum extending through the spiral member and partly submerged in the water and rotating for moving cans of food through the vvater from one compartment to the other and in the same continuous path, said closed drum also coacting with the spiral member in maintaining the different temperatures in the diderent water compartments, and means for controlling the temperatures of the water in the different compartments to vary the degree of cooking of different kinds of food in the cans.

ll. A continuous cooker,v comprising a horizontally extending tank having a plurality of inlet openings and an outlet opening and heat zones of v'various degrees of temperature, a spirally trending member extending through said tank and the heat zones, a closed drum extending through the heat zones and the spirally trending member for preserving the heat zones and for moving cans of food therethrough, andrmeans for feeding cans through vany of the inlet openings.

12. A continuous cooker, comprising a horizontally extending tank having a plurality of inlet openings and an outlet opening and heat zones of various degrees of temperature, a spirally trending member extending through said tank and the heat zones, a closed drum extending through the heat Zones and the spiral trending member for preserving the heat zones and for moving cans of food therethrough, means for maintaining various temperatures in the heat zones, means connectible to any of the openings for feeding cans therethrough, and means forming part of the drum for permitting cans to drop from the carrier through the discharge opening of the tank.

13. A continuous cooker, comprising a horizontally extending tank having a plurality of inlet openings in its upper portion and a recessed end portion formed with an outlet opening in its upper portion, transverse partitions dividing the lower and opposite side portions of the tank into heat zones of various degrees of temperature, a spirally trending member extending in the upper portion of the tank and through the heat zones and around the recessed end opening, ay closed drum extending through the heat Zones and having spaced longitudinally extending ra- 4 Y rier for permitting cans to drop from the dial flanges which project around p cessed end portion of the tank for moving` cans through the heatl zones to the discharge opening of the recessed end, said drum also aiding in maintaining the different temperatures inthe heat zones, and an endless con- 'Veyor connectible to any of the inlet openings for feeding cans therethrough.

14. A Vcontinuous cooker, comprising a horizontally extending tank havingV a plurality of inletopenings in its upper portion and a recessed'end portion formed With an outlet Y c opening in its upper portion, transverse partitions dividing the-lower and opposite side portons of the tank into heat Zones lof vari- Y ous degrees of temperature, a spirally trending member extending in the upper p0rtion of the tank and through the heatzones in moving cans through the heat zones, said radial flanges extending around the recessed end portion and its opening to discharge cans therethrough, means for maintaining predetermined degrees of temperature in the heatl zones, andmeans for feeding cans therethrough.

15. A continuous cooker, comprising ahorizontally extendingtank having a plurality of inlet openings and an outlet opening and heat zones of various degrees of temperature,

a spirally trending member extendingv through said tank and the heat zones, a can carrier extending throughthe heat zones and the spirally trending memberv for' moving cans of food therethrough, means including a closed drum for maintaining various temper- Y atures in the heat zones, means connectible to Y any of the vopenings'for feeding cans therethrough, and means forming part of the carcarrlier through the discharge opening of the tan Y In testimony whereof, I aiix my signature. Y

FRANK D. CHAPMAN.

'the vre-V 

